The Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms Abisola Olusanya, told
newsmen on Monday in Lagos that about 100,000 bags of 50 kg were being expected
for sales at N20,000 per bag.
Olusanya said the state government was working very hard
with the Kebbi Government and the Federal Government to ensure that people of
Lagos have enough rice during the festive season.
“We are intervening in the area of availability of rice for
the festive season, and it will be sold at N20,000 per bag.
“The most important thing is that we have rice available, be
it Lake Rice or other brands,” she said.
Olusanya said that the delay in the sale was due to the
process of production.
“During the festive season, millets have to be polished,
mill, and processed before rice will be available.
“It’s not that rice is not available in the market, but the
price points are a bit high.
“The intervention of the Lagos State Government under the
leadership of Mr Babjide Sanwo-Olu, in collaboration with the Federal
Government, through CBN and the Governor of Kebbi, is to ensure that we have
rice available at lower price points.
“Don’t forget that they are in the harvest season now for
paddy, so this is the best time to get good quality rice.
“The rice has started arriving as at last week, and we are expecting
much more in the next couple of days,” the commissioner said.
On the construction of Imota Rice Mill, she said that the
impact of COVID-19 lockdown had delayed completion of the project.
“We have been to Imota Rice Mill to see the level of work
done, and we know that because of the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown,
equipment manufacturers from Switzerland could not send their team down.
“They had to check that the equipment were okay before they
are unpacked and installed.
“If we had gone ahead without the team checking the
equipment, we would have forfeited our warranty window and we cannot afford to
do that.
“Everything is being done to ensure that the lines are ready
as soon as possible and within the next few months, the Imota Rice Mill will be
ready.
“We have the private sector actors working with us already
aggregating paddy, so we should not be short of paddy,” Olusanya said.